1. Technological Field
The present disclosure relates generally to operation within heterogeneous wireless systems such as, for example, hybrid network operation in which client devices can communicate using several networks. More particularly, in one exemplary regard, the methods and apparatus for intelligent scheduling in hybrid networks based on client identity are disclosed.
2. Description of Related Technology
A wireless (e.g., cellular) network operator provides mobile telecommunications services to the public via a network infrastructure of e.g., cellular base stations (BS), base station controllers, infrastructure nodes, etc. There is a wide variety of cellular network technologies, and historically cellular devices have been specialized for operation within a single cellular network. However, as cellular technologies have become increasingly commoditized, devices are now able to offer so-called “multimode” operation; i.e., a single device that is capable of operation on two or more wireless networks. Multimode operation allows a device to operate on any one of several network technologies, but does not enable operation on multiple network technologies simultaneously.
For example, in the last few years, Long Term Evolution (LTE) has become the dominant choice for Fourth Generation (4G) cellular network technologies. LTE is standardized under the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP); existing LTE networks comply with so-called Release 8 requirements, incipient research is directed to future enhancements for subsequent releases (e.g., Release 9, Release 10, etc.). Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000) cellular technologies are standardized under the Third Generation Partnership Project Two (3GPP2). While LTE enables significant improvements for data services, existing LTE networks do not provide adequate support for voice services; thus, 3GPP2 network operators that have deployed CDMA2000 networks will continue to use CDMA2000 for voice services, while additionally supporting LTE networks for high speed data services.
Incipient research is also directed to so-called “hybrid” network operation. During hybrid network operation, the client device can operate simultaneously among multiple distinct networks having different technologies. In one exemplary case, a hybrid device can support both: (i) Long Term Evolution (LTE) and (ii) Code Division Multiple Access 1X (CDMA 1X) networks; i.e., the device can maintain a simultaneous connection between a first LTE network and a second CDMA 1X network. For example, a LTE/CDMA 1X hybrid device can conduct a voice call over the CDMA 1X network while the mobile device is in LTE mode. In another exemplary case, a hybrid device can support both: (i) CDMA 1X-EVDO (Evolution Data Optimized) and (ii) CDMA 1X networks.
Existing solutions for hybrid network operation rely on the client device to manage its own operation between networks. Specifically, the client device is responsible for maintaining its active connections to the various service networks; there are no required changes to existing network installations (i.e., hybrid network operation does not affect the legacy hardware and software of the network infrastructure). Client-centric hybrid operation has several benefits. For example, there is very little (if any) infrastructure cost for the network operator. Moreover, hardware costs can be incorporated into the price of consumer devices. Additionally, hybrid network operation will not affect existing legacy devices. Similarly, devices capable of hybrid operation are also capable of normal operation.
However, since existing solutions for hybrid network operation do not require the constituent networks to coordinate with one another, the client device will inevitably experience certain scheduling collisions. For example, while a mobile device is attached to a first LTE network, it must periodically “tune out” or “tune away” from the LTE network to perform CDMA 1X actions (such as decoding the Quick Paging Channel (QPCH) to determine if the device is being paged). If the mobile device is receiving data from the LTE network during the tune out period, this data is lost. For example, during the time when the device has to perform a 1x tune away, the device might be RRC connected in LTE, and left with no mechanism by which the device can notify the LTE network that it is tuning away. This has adverse impacts to network capacity, because inter alia the LTE network can continue to schedule the device for various operations, not knowing that it has tuned away to, e.g., 1x for monitoring the page.
Moreover, when the device tunes back to LTE, the device may continue to assume that it is still in the RRC connected state in LTE; however, the LTE network might have transitioned the device to RRC idle (because the network did not receive any acknowledgements for the transmissions it sent to the device when the device was tuned away).
Accordingly, improved apparatus and methods for addressing such uncoordinated (or loosely coordinated) hybrid interface operation are needed.